Yaka Pumbu Protective Figure

Pumbu protective figure. Yaka means “the strong ones," “ba” means people, thus Bayaka ,”the strong people.” Settled in the southwest of the country, they number about 300,000. The men traditionally practiced hunting, while the women cultivated manioc, yams, peas, pineapples and peanuts. Highly artistic people, the Yaka give an aesthetic touch to many everyday objects such as combs, pipes, musical instruments. They practice initiation and circumcision. The figure represents one of the Yaka tribe’s most widespread sculptural categories. Its function is to protect people against evils.